The application of a fluid, resin or polymer solvent solution or resin or polymer hot melt to a substrate is commonly accomplished by techniques such as spin coating, curtain coating, spray coating, solution impregnation, melt impregnation, etc. These techniques are effective in coating or impregnating the substrate; however, there are typically significant amounts of chemical contaminants (e.g., pollutants) released into the environment during processing. Moreover, many of these processes are inefficient and result in a substantial amount of chemical waste which must be recovered and disposed of properly. For example, the technique of spin coating a thin film dielectric (i.e., polymer) onto a substrate (i.e., silicon wafer) results in 90-95% of the polymer solution spun off and wasted during processing. Significant cost savings could be realized by a controlled means of applying polymer solutions.
Various devices designed for treatment of substrates and similar articles are known in the art, with examples being shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,010 (D. J. Pipkin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,186 (D J. Pipkin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,124 (D. J. Pipkin et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,133 (A. Wohrle et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639 (Bard et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,394 (Bard et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,951 (Bard et al.). The devices referenced in the aforementioned patents, however, do not possess the unique features of the fluid jet impregnating and coating device described herein. It is believed that a fluid treatment device possessing the advantageous features cited herein and otherwise discernible from the teachings provided below constitutes a significant advancement in the art.